Notes / Commercial Description:
Spiced with vanilla, cinnamon, ancho and chipotle peppers, then aged 100% in Bourbon Barrels, this beer wants to leap onto your palate like a luchador who dives into the ring from atop the highest rope.

Reviews by Massbmx:

More User Reviews:

A: The beer is essentially jet black in color—only traces of dark brownish red are visible near the edges of the glass. It poured with a sort tan head that died down, leaving wisps of bubbles on the surface and a thin collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of chocolate and cocoa are present in the nose along with hints of chili peppers. Notes of bourbon become noticeable as the beer warms up.
T: The taste has flavors of chocolate along with notes of bourbon and associated vanilla along with hints of chili peppers (without much in the way of heat) and spices. The bourbon flavors become a little stronger as the beer warms up.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. The bourbon contributes a little warmth to the finish.
O: This beer is very drinkable considering its strength and tastes nothing like something that is 11% abv. I liked how there was a good balance between the flavors and not one was too strong.

A: Pours an opaque yet still clear jet black in color with moderate amounts of active visible carbonation rising along the edges of the glass and faint dark cola brown highlights. The beer has a two finger tall foamy dark tan head that quickly reduces to a medium sized patch of very thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of slightly sweet milk chocolate and cocoa with light aromas of vanilla. Light to moderate aromas of slightly smokey chili peppers. Moderate aromas of bourbon and oak which becomes more prominent as the beer warms up.

T: Upfront there is a moderate flavor of roasted and chocolate malts with a moderate amount of lactose sweetness. That is followed by moderate to strong flavors of milk chocolate + cocoa with light to moderate flavors of vanilla, cinnamon, and smokey chili peppers (though with minimal amounts of heat from the chili peppers). Finally there are moderate to slightly stronger than moderate flavors of bourbon and toasted/charred oak which linger through the finish.

M: Medium to full bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth with a light amount of alcohol warming in the finish.

O: Very easy to drink with extremely well hidden alcohol - in fact, I'm shocked this is 11+% ABV. Really nice combinations of flavors and aromas which has enough complexity and nice chili presence without much heat. Very enjoyable.

The peppers on this were very mild, just a hint of flavor as an after taste. This was a very well liked beer within a small group sharing it with me of varying beer drinkers. Overall, it is something I am going to buy again.

Appearance: Pours black with a thin beige head. Not much head retention.

Smell: There is a lot going on here. Bourbon, chiles, vanilla, milk chocolate. An interesting dark fruit presence (primarily back cherry) comes into the picture and takes over a bit before being covered up by more chocolate and vanilla.

Taste: Vanilla and milk chocolate up front with some more of that dark fruit. Cinnamon and a bit of chile pepper (not really any heat, but a nice smoky chipotle flavor). Bourbon is very subtle in the flavor profile. I could go for more bourbon and less dark fruit, but overall this is a great flavor profile - complex and delicious.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, medium carbonation.Would prefer a little less carbonation in this one.

Overall: Great showing from Clown Shoes. There is a lot going on in this beer and it comes together quite well.

Pours close to jet black except for a mahogany tinge at the bottle of the glass when held to the light,a deep thinner beige head atop.bourbon really jumps out at ya in the nose along with some dark fruit,the chipotle gives off some spice and smoke.Vanilla tinged oak starts out the flavor profile ,the bourbon is big,dark fruit and sweet but not spicy anchos are there,the chipotles come in late in the finish hitting the back of the throat that lingers.This is a sipper no doubt but all the flavors come together making for a very interesting beer.

Thanks, Scot! Luchador en Fuego pours a super-deep shade of brown, almost black but not quite, littered with dark, ruby hints all over the place. The creamy and light-tan head doesn't stick around for very long, but a little swirl of the glass is quick to bring it back to life with ease. No lacing is left on the glass, except for a few, small spots that drip downwards instantly.

Sweet chocolate, borderline dark fudge, dark fruits so deep and sharp that they're nearly tart, mild vanilla, bourbon-y warmth, soft oak, some back-end spices, and a bit of buttery brown sugar. Kind of like a dark chocolate cake, drizzled with goodies and kicked up a notch with the booze. The peppers are hard to discern from the aroma, but the cinnamon is easy to pick out once the beer has a chance to warm up a little bit.

The first sip is quite smooth... as are sips two, three, and so on. Not hot at all, and though the bourbon does contribute a little throat warming sensation, it remains relatively smooth from start to finish. Sweet cocoa nibs, light fudge, a little bit of vanilla drizzle, and some warm cinnamon spice in the finish. Again, not picking up too much of the chilies here, save for a mild tongue tingle, so perhaps the barrel aging has blunted them just a bit.

A good amount of wet oak lasts well into the finish with a hint of bourbon and some sweet, dark fruits to wrap things up. The mouth feel could be a little better... maybe a little more full, chewy, and/or thick, but the barrel aging has definitely improved the mouth feel of the base beer by quite a bit, so that's a plus. Soft, rolling, low carbonation for a slick, smooth, almost creamy mouth feel.

Lots of stuff going on in this one, just like its non-barrel version, Chocolate Sombrero. The flavors could use a little bit more harmony, but they still work very well together, and spending some time in a barrel has really given them the change to meld a little more. I would have liked to see a bit more chili pepper spice as well, as they were almost nonexistent here. Probably one of the best things I've had from Clown Shoes so far.

Bomber bottled 2/22/16.
The beer was near black in color. There was no head to it, just a few bubble around the rim.
Aroma of chocolate, spice, and chili powder.
The taste followed the nose. Chocolate and cinnamon, with some chili warmth in the aftertaste. I thought there was a tiny bit of vanilla. Otherwise nothing in the aroma or taste to suggest barrel aging.
The chili warmth was subtle and the 11% ABV was well-hidden.

Lightly blackened with a thin yet creamy lid, it looks basically how it should. I yearn for the aroma treasure trove I read about in other reviews. I get chocolate and I get bourbon, but as I hyperventilate to find some sense of chili peppers, the closest thing I can muster is cinnamon! No heat, and for a "Mexican" stout partly entitled "fuego," that's a problem. Someone put this on par with Mexican Cake, Hunapuh, and others? I've ridden the hype train before--and the reality is that I'm still looking for those two--but a pepper beer should have some sorta kick. Ballast Point doesn't stiff brews on pepper spice--is it harder in a stout? Even for a readily available Total Wine-style purchase, I'm disappointed. If it were a whale or a clamored-about exclusive, I'd be confused. It's like an entree sold as spicy failing to deliver. Quite frankly I fully understand the absence of hoopla and I wholly get why this one sat as a surprise for me to just try from the shelf. I will likely leave it next time....

T: Follows the nose, chili almost nonexistent. Bourbon barrel agine comes through great, but not overly boozy. Vanilla and other spices come through softly, with a roasty chocolate malt. Also picking up the Mexican chocolate flavor. The bourbon, maltiness, and chocolate flavor mingle nicely, with the bourbon winning out in the end along with a soft smokiness.